NFL Wagering - How To Wager On Football

There are numerous NFL and College Football wagers to choose from when you sign up with a sportsbook looking to bet on a game. This article will explain the various NFL wagering options available to NFL bettors, and will also show you where the betting value lies with these wagers.

The most popular wager for NFL bettors is the "side" bet. When two football teams clash the oddsmakers will create a line where one team (the underdog) receives points while the other team (the favorite) gives points. A typical line would be 3.5 points and this is known as the spread. To win a side bet in the NFL you must wager on the team that covers the spread. If you bet on the favorite and they win by 4 points or more (with the line at 3.5 points) then your wager cashes in as a winner. If you bet on the favorite and they win the game but only by 3 points then your wager would lose if the spread was 3.5 points.

If you don't want to pick one side to win an NFL game you don't have to because there are numerous other NFL wagers out there. The second choice for a lot of bettors who want to gamble on the NFL is a wager known as the "totals" bet. Here you combine the scores for both teams in a game and determine whether that points total will go Over or Under a number set by the sportsbook. Let's say the Raiders are playing the Cowboys. The total points market for the game might be 43 points. If you think it will be a low-scoring game you might want to wager on the Under 43 total points. If the score finished 22-20 your wager would then win.

Other wagers besides NFL side bets and totals bets include "prop" bets and futures bets. Prop bets are far more specific bets for a certain game such as what the score will be after the first quarter, or which player will score the first touchdown. Proposition bets can be taken on almost any outcome in an NFL game from betting on the coin toss to the length of the longest field goal on the day. Futures bets in the NFL are wagers on outcomes such as the winner of the 2007 Super Bowl, or the AFC or NFL conference winners. You can also bet on how many wins a team will have in the NFL regular season, and on the various division winners.

Once you understand the types of NFL wagers that are out there you need a betting strategy to maximize your bankroll. You can take an NFL parlay where you have multiple bets taken together, or you can take NFL teasers where you get stretches on the lines for games but receive lower odds in exchange.

Our recommendation is to bet against the grain in the NFL. Most wagers are taken on the favorites and on the Over for total points. There is nearly always an underdog on the NFL betting card that presents very good value, and the same holds true for betting the Under for total points. If you're going to take parlays or teasers where you need multiple teams to win make sure you invest a small percentage of your betting bankroll - there's a reason why those bets pay out so well; it's because they are that much harder to win in the first place!

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